Help with a couple transp. ?'s please

1.) On our only full MK day, we have an early CM adr for 7:30. MK does not open til 9:00. We are staying at POP and I realize the only way to get to CM is taking a cab--correct? How convenient are the cabs from POP and how does it work? If I wanted a cab to pick us up from there around 6:50 do I need to call from our room a certain amount of time before hand and ask for a cab? Or are there just cabs waiting by the main building that we can basically just walk up and catch one?
2.) After we are done with Chef Mickeys, what is the best way to get to MK? Walk or take the monorail? Chef Mickeys is on the 4th floor right? So we would have to go the bottom floor and walk out of Contemporary and follow signs for the walking path I am assuming. We have never been to the Contemporary before so need all the advice I can get. We do realize that we might not make ropedrop but I am assuming we shouldn't miss it by much if we do.
3.) This is basically again wanting general experiences about getting cabs from POP. There could be a couple more times like our DTD day and various adrs that we are going to want to catch a cab and just want to know how convenient it is getting them from POP. What is the basic one way cost? I think I read 20$ should cover trip and tip but not sure...

Buses for the MK start running around 6:30am, you can take the bus to the MK and then walk over to the CR. The path is well marked, and takes about 15 minutes to walk from the MK to the CR. If you opt to take a cab you can just go down to the front the the lobby and go over to bell services, they will call a cab for you,generally they are right in the parking lot area. You can also call from your room, there is a button on the phone, call when you are ready to leave the room, and the cab will be by the portico outside of the lobby.
After you leave CM you can easily walk to the MK, take the elevator down to the main floor, go out the front doors and take a right and follow the sidewalk to the MK.
I cant help you with the cost, I generally use Disney transportation unless I am running late, but I've never had a problem getting a cab. My only experience from the value resorts has been from the Allstar sports over to the AKL, it cost about $10 with the tip.

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Thank you for the quick reply. I thought because it is a nonemh morning for MK and it doesn't open til 9:00 the buses wouldn't start running that early. I guess with the bus it is just that extra time waiting for one and then once we get to MK, walk to CR where taking a cab is direct and should be quicker. I am assuming. But you are saying that you would definitely just walk to MK after breakfast and not take the monorail. Does the monorail go in the opposite direction or something and that's why it would take longer? As you can see this is our first trip onsite and only our second trip ever and our first was 9 years ago. So I am basically a newbie...

Thank you for the quick reply. I thought because it is a nonemh morning for MK and it doesn't open til 9:00 the buses wouldn't start running that early. I guess with the bus it is just that extra time waiting for one and then once we get to MK, walk to CR where taking a cab is direct and should be quicker. I am assuming. But you are saying that you would definitely just walk to MK after breakfast and not take the monorail. Does the monorail go in the opposite direction or something and that's why it would take longer? As you can see this is our first trip onsite and only our second trip ever and our first was 9 years ago. So I am basically a newbie...

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Yes the monorail would stop at the TTC, Poly and GF before arriving at MK...in that time you can have all ready walked over, gone through security, entered the park and been well on your way!

Thank you for the quick reply. I thought because it is a nonemh morning for MK and it doesn't open til 9:00 the buses wouldn't start running that early. I guess with the bus it is just that extra time waiting for one and then once we get to MK, walk to CR where taking a cab is direct and should be quicker. I am assuming. But you are saying that you would definitely just walk to MK after breakfast and not take the monorail. Does the monorail go in the opposite direction or something and that's why it would take longer? As you can see this is our first trip onsite and only our second trip ever and our first was 9 years ago. So I am basically a newbie...

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Buses start running, every single morning, by 6:30am to all the various parks. They sometimes start a bit earlier going to the MK. So, for a 7:30am ADR, at Chef Mickey's, you are going to want to be out at the bus stop by 6:30. Then, when you get to the MK..if it's already 7am, you can do one of two things....you can walk up to the resort monorail line, and get on the monorail. The next stop will be CR...takes about 4 mins. The monorail should start running by 7am...so you should have plenty of time, even if you have to wait a few mins for the next car to come.
Or....just walk over to the CR...get off the bus, walk towards entrance to MK, but at the end of the bus driveway area, you want to go right, not left towards MK entrance..you will follow beneath the monorail beam..along the sidewalk. When you get to the street, be sure you use the pedestrian cross signage..especially with kids. It's a busy street at that time of day..CMs heading to work. Then, just cross the street and on to the CR.
To get back to MK? I would just walk. If you take the monorail it's going to take close to 25 mins, with all the stops it makes. The walk is well under 10 mins..and very pleasant.

As far as taking cabs....a cab ride between Pop and YC/BC is going to run you about $10, including tip...and they are about 8 mins apart, by car. So, further distances will run you more.

I would plan on cabbing it. For the main reason, while busses should be running, you may have to wait on one.

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I think I am leaning towards this. My family are already not going to be happy with me getting them up that early. So the extra 20-25 minutes of sleep will be appreciated. I think catching a cab around 6:50 should be plenty of time to get there by our adr time even with checking in 15 mins early at 7:15. If we leave POP by 6:50 in a cab, it shouldn't take more than 20 mins to get to CR which would put us there at 7:10 and 5 minutes or so to get to the 4th floor. Thus being picked up by a cab at 6:50 means my family needs to be wake around 6:00-6:10ish. If we are going to wait on a bus we would need to be at the bus stop at 6:30 which means being up and moving around 5:30-5:40. Do not see that happening... lol Since the cab will be direct from POP to CR I think that will be the smart way to go for us at least...

I think I am leaning towards this. My family are already not going to be happy with me getting them up that early. So the extra 20-25 minutes of sleep will be appreciated. I think catching a cab around 6:50 should be plenty of time to get there by our adr time even with checking in 15 mins early at 7:15. If we leave POP by 6:50 in a cab, it shouldn't take more than 20 mins to get to CR which would put us there at 7:10 and 5 minutes or so to get to the 4th floor. Thus being picked up by a cab at 6:50 means my family needs to be wake around 6:00-6:10ish. If we are going to wait on a bus we would need to be at the bus stop at 6:30 which means being up and moving around 5:30-5:40. Do not see that happening... lol Since the cab will be direct from POP to CR I think that will be the smart way to go for us at least...

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I think that's the best way to go. I don't like spending money I don't have to. When taking DS to SWW last year, we went down to wait for the busses at 6:25 (wanted to get to the park at 7), waiting 10 minutes, didn't see ANY bus, so hopped a cab. I think it was $20 from CR to DHS. But it was worth it to be at the front of the line and he got into the first Jedi Academy.

Does anyone know how long it takes for a cab to drive from POP to the Contemporary? Is 20 minutes a reasonable amount to plan for? They will drop me off directly in front of the hotel-right?

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Yep, that timing should work out just fine.
For a 7:30am ADR, I would get the cab for about 6:50ish...that will get you to CR in plenty of time to check in at the podium about 15 mins prior.
And yes, the cab will drop you right at the front doors to CR.